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Modest gains in equities, up in the final hour on news of a Dubai debt deal, gave the Dow its best November in eight years. See also Dubai World: The Freddie Mac of the Middle East. Strength in financials saw Goldman (GS) gain 3.57%, enabling an employee the opportunity to afford an engagement ring worthy of a former first daughter as wedding plans were appropriately made public on the day The Knot brought Nasdaq trading to a close. (Even on a Sachs salary however, the groom would struggle to afford five gold rings, with bullion gapping up to an all time high above $1,200 in electronic trading this morning).

Patriotism paid for US Steel (X) (+3.74%) and US Bancorp (USB) (+5.14%), each up on upgrades, and executives at Boston Properties (BXP) (+5.00% in a strong REIT tape) now have cash to splash on expensive champagne, if not the $150 bottles on offer at Beantown neighbor Boston Beer (SAM). Staples (SPLS) (see also Staples Is Vulnerable to Corporate Cutbacks) and Shanda Interactive (SNDA) announce earnings and in 10:00 AM Eastern economics, the Institute for Supply Management's November manufacturing index is expected to show a slight slippage.

Initiations

Check Point Software (CHKP): The stock is begun with a Buy at ThinkEquity Partners.

Clearwire Corp (CLWR): Clearwire is increased to Neutral from Sell at UBS, which takes its price target to $6 from $3 on a capital raise which "largely eliminates funding risk".

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